In Belgium

Asbestos was widely used in Belgian construction until its ban in 1998. Many buildings constructed before 2001 may contain asbestos in roofing, insulation, floor tiles, pipe lagging or facade cladding.

Flanders: the asbestattest is mandatory for all buildings constructed before 2001 upon sale (since November 2022). The certificate must be obtained before listing the property. It will become mandatory for all buildings before 2001 by 2032.

Brussels and Wallonia: no mandatory asbestos certificate for sales yet, but an asbestos inventory is required before any demolition or major renovation works.

How it works

Assessment. A certified asbestos assessor visits the property, visually inspects all accessible areas, and may take samples for laboratory analysis. The assessment identifies the location, type and condition of any asbestos-containing materials.

Certificate. The certificate classifies materials by risk level. Asbestos in good condition (intact, not friable) can remain in place with periodic monitoring. Damaged or friable asbestos must be removed by a specialised firm.

Cost. An asbestos assessment typically costs 400 to 800 EUR for a standard residential property.

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Good to know
Asbestos in good condition (e.g. intact cement-asbestos roof tiles) does not pose an immediate health risk and can remain in place. The risk arises when asbestos is disturbed (drilling, cutting, demolition). Never attempt to remove asbestos yourself — always use a certified removal company.

Practical example

Pieter sells his house in Ghent, built in 1978. He commissions an asbestos assessment (550 EUR). The assessor finds asbestos in the roof tiles (good condition, no action needed) and in pipe lagging in the basement (damaged, removal recommended). Pieter has the pipe lagging professionally removed (2,800 EUR) before the sale. The certificate is provided to the buyer.